Tulsa City-County Library Making Progress On New Building

The Tulsa-City County Library is writing the final chapter of the Librarium at 11th and Denver.

Tuesday, they hosted a customer appreciation and thank you celebration.

The 22,000 square foot building, a former Homeland grocery store, opened in September 2013 to serve as the downtown library during the renovation of Central Library.

With work almost finished there, the Librarium is closing September 2nd. That gives workers time to move the Librarium's collection to Central Library. Some of the move actually started Tuesday.

"It's a little sad for everyone, but, five blocks down the street we have a beautiful new central library. It's absolutely gorgeous. This facility also served as a sneak-peek into what Central Library would be like," said Tulsa City-County Library CEO Gary Shaffer.

Customers will still have access to computers and Wi-Fi during the transition.

Central Library's grand opening is October 1st, and lots of changes are still being made with lots of people wearing hard outside and inside the building.

Library staff is also working to turn this renovated space back into the Central Library.

Shaffer took us to the children's area and showed off some new learning centers.

"It's beyond just the reading,” he said. “This is meant to spawn early literacy, or getting kids ready for school."

There are also things called imagination centers, one is a pretend kitchen.

"A little basket of food - we've got vegetables, we've got spices notated here, we've got ants in our kitchen, there's some soap, and, oh, some dirty dishes in the sink," Shaffer showed us.

It's not like there are no books, but in the children's area, they'll be displayed differently.

Shaffer said, "You just flip through them and something catches your eye."

Lots of fun new things, maybe the only library in America with a Jumbotron; it's called an Alphabet Whirly-gig.

The new Central Library is bright and shiny with lots of open space.

Shaffer said, "We are very excited about it and excited to share it with all of Tulsa and Tulsa County."

Again, opening day is 10 a.m., Saturday, October 1st.

There will even be a full-service coffee shop inside.